Combination lock



July 28, 1959 E. w. HOLMBERG COMBINATION LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledApril 1, 1957 FIG.I

FIG. 2

INVENTOR. fafeneM//a/e' funkt P.

ATTORNEY July 28, 1959 E. w. HOLMBERG COMBINATION LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed April l, 1957 NVENTOR. fdene h/.h/weg n. Y EWE ATToRLvEY UnitedSeres Paflf i0,

` C'ONIBNATION LOCK I `Eugene W. Holmberg, Dania, Fla. Application April1,1957, Serial No. 649,693

` s claims. (cl. 11i- 156) 'This invention relates to -acombinationlock.

VThe invention has for an object to provide a novel position by a latch30 in engagement with a notch 32 formed in the bolt, as better shown inFig. 5. A spring 34 coiledlabout areduced diameter portion of the bolt16 and interposed between a shouldered portion `of the bolt and theframe member 22 tends to urge the bolt in-aretracting oropeningdire'ption when thelatch 3:0A is withdrawn whereby to-perrnitopening of the door.

and improved combination lock of the type having a i latched lockinglbolt and which is characterized by novel structure having provision forautomatically unlatching the bolt 'when the correct combination isemployed in a simple and elticient manner.

t With this general object in view andsuch others as may `hereinafterappear, the invention consists in the combination lock and in thevarious structures, arrangements` and combinations of parts hereinafterdescribed and particularly deiined'in the claimsv at the end of thisspecification. r i 1 t `In the drawings illustrating the preferredembodiment othe invention: t t 4Fig lis a front elevation of a`receptacle having a door embodying the present combination lock;

Fig.l 2 is a plan view partly in 'cross section as seen from the line2-2 of Fig. l; l t

Fig. 3 is an end View as seen from the line-3-3 of Fig. 2; `Fig. 4 is across sectional end View taken on the line 4`-4of Fig. 2; and t t Fig. 5is a rear view cross section of the locking mechanismras` seen from `theline 5-5 of Fig.V 2. t t :11n general the present invention contemplatesacombination lock of the type provided with a bolt adapted to be"engagedwith la keeper and latched into a locked position and which isautomatically unlatched upon operating the combination. Theoperatingmechanism of the combination lock includes `a plurality ofnotched cams arranged to be individually rotated a Selected number ofincrements by push *buttonv operating mechanisms and which `whenindependently advanced in accordance with theycombination will arrangethe notches in alignment whereupon the unlatching mechanism is actuatedto release the bolt which is then automatically retracted to itsunlocked position. Provision is also made in the preferred embodiment ofthe invention for lighting a signal lamp upon retraction of the bolt toapprise the operator that the door is unlocked and may be swung open.Upon again Vclosing the door provision is made for mov- "The latch ismounted 'to slide inta guide member 36 secured to an intermediateupstanding `frame member 23,Vand as shown in Fig.` 3, is connected by apin and slot connection 38 to an arm 40 fast on a shaft 42 rockinglymounted in extensions 44 from the end `frame members. The shaft 42is"al`so provided with a plurality of cam levers 46, herein shown asfour cam levers, also fast on the shaft 42, each lever being providedwith a Vroller 48 arranged to cooperate with a cam S0 mounted to4 rotateon a stationary shaft 52 supported in the end frames 22 andf25. An arm54 also fast on the shaft42 is connected by a spring 56 to the baseplate 20 and tends to urge the rollers 48 against their cams 50 and torock the arm 40 ina direction to urge the latch 30 outwardly or into aretracted position when permitted to do so by the cams 50.`

. `As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, each earn 50 is arranged to' hold its.Acam lever `46 in 'an outwardly rocked position to` positively maintainthe latch 30 in its extended `posi- `tion in engagement with the boltnotch 32 when the door locked. Each cam is provided with a notch 58andis operatively connected to an individually operated combinationunit, indicated generally at 60, which is arranged tcr'ro'tate4 its camin'successive increments until all the notches 58 arealigned with"theirrespective rollers 48, the final cam notch moved into alignmentwith its roller permitting `all of the rollers to simultaneously dropinto their respective notches to effect lretraction of the latch 30,land consequently to permit retraction of the bolt 16 bythespring34. '1p Each combination unit 60 includes a cupshaped hollow ratchet casing`62 having a hub portion 64 at its cert` ter and provided withratchetfteeth 664 along the periph- Leral edge of the casing as shown.The ratchet casingis mounted to rotate on thestationary shaftz52 and aspiral spring 68 having one end connected to` the hub 64 and its otherend connected to afpin70 extended from an` adjacent upstanding framemember is arranged to urge the casing in a counterclockwise direction,Viewing Fig. 3, to present'a radial extension 72 of the casing intoengagement with a stop pin 74 carried by the frame extensions '44. Theconnection between `the casing 632 and the cam IS0 may comprise `alaterally extended pin 76 carried by the cam'50 and extended intoaselected one of a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings 78formed inthe ing the `bolt into its locked position and `forsimultaneously resetting the cams `to their initial positions andagain'latching the bolt in its locked position.

`Referring now to the drawings, `10 represents a door pivoted on hinges12 secured to the frame or open end of a container or receptacle 15which is to be locked. The combination lock'indicated generally at 14includes abolt 16 `slidably supported at one end in an upturned portion18 of` a `base plate 20` and at its otherv end in a bearing extensionforming a part of an upstanding frame member22 secured to the base,plate 2`0. The base plate 20 is spaced from vand parallel to the rearface of the door 10 by intervening spacers 24 and may be securedthereto-by screws 26 as shown.

"The bolt 16 is show minits locked position: in Fig. 2

epd Wall of the casinggthe spacing between the openings being equal tothe distance between the ratchet teeth. `A spiral coil spring 80interposed between the cam 50 and an adjacent framememberresilientlyurges the cam pin 76 into an opening 78 of the casing so that when theratchet casing `62 is rotated, `the cam will rotate with it. y The camnotch 58, may bel in radial'alignment with the selected opening, and thecircumferential distance from the roller to the vnotch determines thenumber of increments of v movement required to align the notch with theroller. AIt

A t released to extend the pin' into in engagement with a keeper 28 andheldin its locked f will be `apparent that with the ratchet easingdisposed `in its stop position, the c am` 50 may be moved longitudinallyoftheshaft 52l to separate the pin 76Vfrom its casing open# ing, and thecam maythen be rotated manually and again y a 'dilerent selectedopeningto change the combination. "Y As herein shown, each ratchetcasing -62 is arranged to be manually rotated in successive incrementsby a pawl 82- carried by one 841'of a bell crank pivotally mounted onthe stationary yshaft 52. The arm 84 is corri" nected by a link 86 to ailanged button 88 mounted to slide in a bearing member 90 formed in thedoor 10. A spring 92 connected to the second arm 94 of the bell crank isarranged to 4urge the button in its outwardly extended position with theange thereof against the inner face of the base plate 20 in whichposition the pafwlrSZ` is in its retracted position. When a button ispressed, the pawl in engagement with a tooth of the ratchet electsrotation of the ratchet casing one increment` in a clockwise direction,the casing being retained in its moved position by a holding pawl 96secured to and extended from an adjacent frame member. n Y v y Inoperation each button 88 may be individually operated to rotate itsratchet casing 62 a selected number of increments in accordance lwiththe combination until all of the cam notches 58 are in` alignment rwiththe rollers 48 V-whereupon the rollers will simultaneously drop intotheir respective notches by virtue of the spring 56, thus Y rocking thearm 40 outwardly to effect retraction of the latch 30 from the notch 32in the bolt 16 whereupon the bolt 16 is free to be withdrawn from itskeeper 28 by the coil spring 34. Upon retraction of the bolt 16 theinnerend thereof is arranged to engage and close a switch '98 formingpart of a circuit 100 connected to a lamp 102 mounted on the door sothat the lamp 'will light upon retraction of the bolt to apprise theoperator that the door may be swung open. y

As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the operating pawls 82 and the holdingpalwls 96 may and preferably will comprise resilient leaf springs, andprovision is made for pressing the pawls laterally out of engagementwith their ratchet teeth to free the casings and permit them to berotated in a reverse direction by the spiral springs 68 back to theirinitial position in engagement with their stop pins 74. A plurality ofpawl engaging or resetting members 104 are mounted on a shaft 106slidably carried by the end frame members 22, 25, one end of the shaft106 being connected by a pin and slot connection 107 to an arm 108pivotally mounted intermediate its ends at 110 in the frame member 25.The otherv end of the arm 108 is connected to a rod r112 mounted toslide in suitable guides in the base plate 20. The rod 112 is connectedbyfapin andrslot connection 114-to anarm 116 fast on the horizontal endof an L-shaped :handle 118 mounted in a bearing 120 secured yto the4inner faceV of the door 10 between the, door and the base platev20,-the pin 115 of the pin and slot connection extending through thebase plate and operating in a slot therein. The handle 1,18 is extendedthrough the door to be accessiblefrom the outer face of the door. Thus,in operation. by manually rocking the handle 118 the slide shaft 106 maybe moved to depress the leaf spring pawls 82, 96 out of engagement withthe teeth 66 to free the ratchet casing 62.` Resetting of the bolt 1-6into its locked and latched position is also effected by movement of theslide rod 112, the inner end of the rod having an upstanding member `122arranged to engage a laterally extended member 124'of the bolt 16 asshown. y

From the above description it -will be seen that the present combinationlock is capable of being automatically unlatched upon operation of thecombination; that no characteristic click of the conventionalcombination lock is heard during working of the combinationuntilstationary,V shaft having a plurality of cams mounted for rotationthereon, each cam having a notch therein, a second shaft having aplurality of arms fast thereon, each arm carrying a roller, said armscooperating with said cams, a plurality of ratchet casings mounted onsaid first shaft and operatively connected to their respective cams,said ratchet casings beingV spring urged in one direction of rotation,stop means for said ratchet casings, manually and individually operatedmeans including push button operated resilient pawls for independentlyrotating each of said ratchet' casings and cams in the oppositedirection throughta selected and diiferent number of increments ofrot-ation to present the c am notches in alignment with their respectiverollers, resilient holding pawls for retaining the casings in theirmoved position, a spring urged arm fast on said second shaft andoperatively connected to said latch means for eiecting rocking of saidsecond shaft when all of the notches are aligned with their respectiverollers whereby to elect unlatching of said bolt, and spring means forautomatically retracting said bolt from engagement with its keeper whenthe bolt is unlatched.

2. A combination lock comprising, in combination, a slide bolt mountedfor eng-agement with a keeper, latch means for retaining the bolt in itslocked position, a stationary shaft having a plurality of cams mountedfor rotation thereon, each cam having a notch therein, a second shafthaving a plurality of arms fast thereon, each arm carrying a roller,said arms cooperating with said cams, a plurality of ratchet casingsmounted on said rst shaft, each casing having a plurality of ratchetteeth and operatively connected to their respective cams, said l ratchetcasings being spring urged in one directionof r0- tation, stop means forsaid ratchet casings, manually and individually operated means includingpush button operated resilient pawls for independently rotating each'ofsaid ratchet casings and cams in the opposite direction through aselected and diierent number of increments of rotation to present thecam notches in alignment with their respective rollers, resilientholding pawls'for retaining the casings in their moved position, aspring urged arm fast on said second shaft and operatively connected tosaid latch means for electing rocking of said second shaft when all ofthe notches are aligned with their re'- spective rollers whereby toelfect unlatching ofsaid bolt, spring means for automatically retractingsaid bolt from engagement with its keeper when the bolt is unlatched,and manually operated linkage including a laterally movable bar havingspaced arms thereon engageable with said resilient pawls for moving saidresilient push-button operated pawls and said resilient holding pawlslaterally out of the path of the ratchet teeth to permit spring returnof said ratchet casings to their initial positions against theirrespective stops, and connections between said releasing means and saidbolt including a projection from said manually operated linkageengageable with a projection on said bolt for returning the bolt to itslocked position.

3. A combination lock as defined in claim 1 wherein the connectionsbetween each 'cam and ratchet comprise a laterally extended pin from thecam engaged with one of a plurality of circumferentially spaced openingsin said ratchet casing, the spacing between said openings being equal tothe ratchet teeth spacing, said cam being spring pressed toward saidratchet casing and capable of being moved axially to retract the pin topermit rotation of the cam and reinsertion of the pin into adifferentopening wheneby to vary the number of increments of rotationrequired to effect alignment with said notches.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 144,670Gross Nov. 18, 1873 (Other references on following-page) 5 UNITED STATESPATENTS Lawrence Dec. 24, 1889 Bois Mar. 13, 1894 Root July 23, 1895Helm Aug. 6, 1895 Tuch June 16, 1914 6 Clendenny Oct. 10, 1916 Hill Jan.15, 1924 Trepanier Mar. 20, 1928 Sanowskis Feb. 10, 1942 Moler Jan. 12,1954 Quintero June 1, 1954

